1. Field of the Invention
Applicant""s invention relates to a food composition for feeding to worms to enhance their desirability to predators, particularly fish, and the process therefor.
2. Background Information
There are many factors that play a part in enhancing the desirability of worms to predators, such as fish. Researchers have found that fish possess both rod and cone cells in their eyes. This results in their ability to see color and their sensitivity to various shades of light. Therefore, a fish""s ability to detect prey, such as worms, can be affected by the water clarity. In conditions where sediment is high, visibility is drastically reduced. Thus, particularly in such conditions, color can play a major role in the fish""s ability to both see and strike its prey.
Movement or activity of the prey is also critical in the fish""s ability to successfully feed. Therefore healthy prey, such as a worm that shows more activity on the hook, will create more attention and receive more strikes by fish. Where worms are used as prey, the temperature at which the worms are kept can be crucial to their activity. The optimum temperature to maintain the activity of worms varies by the genus. In addition, the nourishment of the worm can play a critical role in the activity of the worm. A weak, malnourished worm will not be active even if temperatures are suitable. Worms kept at a suitable temperature and provided adequate nutriment will vigorously feed resulting in increased activity thereby enhancing a fish""s ability to successfully feed. The nutriment over time also increases the size of the worm which further aids in the fish""s ability to detect the prey.
From this data it was determined that worms that have enhanced visual detectability, are both large and active, and that maintain a suitable shelf life will provide the optimum bait for the fishing industry. As there are no known worm food compositions on the market that provide for these combined benefits, it was the desire of the present Applicants to satisfy this long felt need in the industry by providing for a worm food composition having a nutritious food mass and a xanthene dye. This worm food composition enhances the visual detectability of the worm to predators, enhances the growth and activity of the worm, and enhances the health of the worm which contributes to an increased life span in captivity to maintain a suitable shelf life.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel food composition for feeding to worms to enhance their desirability to predators, particularly fish, and process therefor.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel food composition for feeding to worms to increase their activity in the water.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel food composition for feeding to worms to increase their size.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a novel food composition for feeding to worms to enhance their reception by the visual color receptors of a predator, such as a fish.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel food composition for feeding to worms to increase their life span in captivity.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide for a novel food composition for feeding to worms so the worms can maintain a suitable shelf life.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel food composition for feeding to worms that incorporates a xanthene dye.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel food composition for feeding to worms that incorporates a hydroxyl substituted xanthene.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for a novel food composition for feeding to worms that incorporates fluoroscein.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide for a novel method for enhancing the desirability of worms to predators by feeding the worms the food composition of the present invention.
In satisfaction of these and related objectives, Applicant""s present invention provides a food composition for feeding to worms to enhance their desirability to predators and process therefor.